Gann Academy

Founded in 1997, Gann Academy is a coeducational Jewish high school located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The mission of Gann Academy is to educate, to inspire, and to empower intellectually confident, passionately engaged, ethically responsible Jews who, through critical thinking and the contribution of their unique voices, will create a vibrant Jewish future and build a better world where human dignity will flourish. As one of the nation’s leading pluralistic Jewish schools, Gann serves as a model and an important resource for educators and others seeking to build pluralistic communities that enhance students' intellectual and personal development. Gann Academy is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. Gann Academy was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in the spring of 2004.

History

Gann Academy was founded in 1997 as "The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston." "New Jew" (as it was casually nicknamed) was originally adjacent to Brandeis University. The school opened with 48 students in the 9th and 10th grade. Seeking larger facilities and a more permanent home, the school moved to the top four floors and basement of the Fleetbank building (BankBoston at the time of move in) at the intersection of Prospect St. and Main St. in Waltham and used the basement of the local Temple Beth Israel for additional classroom space. The school changed names in 2003 in honor of philanthropist Joseph Gann who donated $5,000,000 to the school. In the fall of 2003 the school moved into its current building in Waltham, on land formerly occupied by the Murphy Army Hospital.